Chapter 6: Hack and Slash
When Ben wandered out of his bedroom early the next morning it was still dark outside and in. Dragging a blanket with him, he went in search of his boyfriend. Dexter's bedroom was empty and the bed had been made with inhuman precision. Heading downstairs, he could hear someone typing away at a keyboard at warp speed. It could only be Dexter. He was the fastest typist Ben knew.
Sure enough, Baby Einstein was fully dressed and already at work at the Professor's computer with a hologram of Computress' robotic body standing beside the desk. She was adequately bright to serve as a nightlight since Dexter suffered from a fear of the dark. He glanced up as Ben approached, sliding forward in his seat to make room. Taking him up on the invitation, Ben climbed onto the chair to straddle him from behind, enveloping Dexter in his arms and the blanket and settling down to snooze against the younger teen's neck.
"Wa' you doin'?" mumbled Ben as he leaned in to snuggle close against the redhead.
"Hacking into the KND computer system," Dexter replied casually.
Ben blinked, raising his head. "You can really do that?" He squinted at the screen, but the codes and commands Dexter and Computress were utilizing while impressive, were meaningless to him.
"Of course. What do I look like, an amateur?"
He looked like a complete nerd, but Ben decided saying as much out loud would get him booted off the chair. Besides, he was a darned cute nerd.
"It's actually simpler this time," continued Dexter, typing and clicking away, somehow able to talk and bust into other people's computer networks simultaneously. "Last time we had to hack into their moon base, so we had them thinking it was the Pentagon trying to access their files."
"Who are you this time?"
"The Kremlin," Computress replied.
Ben chuckled and settled down again, closing his eyes as he muttered, "Skunk."
"We're just looking," Dexter promised virtuously. "We won't touch. Too much," he added in a mutter. A moment later he made a little sound of 'Ah!' and the screen changed to the typically bright KND file.
"Computress, access all files that fall under the acronym . . . C.H.O.P.S.T.I.C.K."
"What's that stand for?" wondered Ben against his neck.
"Nothing I know of, but it will throw them off. If we just accessed all the 'c' files they might get suspicious. This way they'll be kept busy and they may even think Sector C is running a drill."
"But his last name is Dickson."
"You obviously don't know how the Kids Next Door filing system works, Mr. Tennyson."
"Guess not."
"Have we been detected yet, Computress?"
"Not yet," answered the computer. She pulled up a personnel file. "Chad Dickson."
"Save file, and see what you can do to clean and upgrade their computer system while you're in there." He glanced back as Ben squeezed him in a hug. "What? You think I'm just going to nose around and not give them anything in return? We are allies."
"What if they return the favor?"
"They can try. If they got in, I'd thank them for finding any flaws in my security. Mandark and I have fought some outright wars against each other for that very reason. We average about three major battles a year."
"Who's winning?"
"Who do you think?" was the thoroughly smug reply. He took a few moments to sip his coffee and revel in his own genius. "Computress? Progress?"
"Upgrades complete. I've also removed 612 various viruses and bugs from their system, improved their security, improved their overall speed by 31% and have given them copies of the newest Sumo Slammers and Spore video games." Computress looked to her creator. "We've been detected."
"Took them long enough."
"Which new Sumo Slammers game?" asked Ben suspiciously, suddenly alert.
"God Quest II: the Bridge to Heaven."
"That's not due out until next month!" he squeaked, all dignity falling to the wayside at the notion of the KND getting an edge on him.
"The beauty of having a super computer," murmured Dexter.
"I want a super computer."
Dexter twisted slightly to kiss him on the cheek. "Use mine, my love."
"Won't they get wigged out that this game suddenly appeared on their computers?"
"Would you question it?"
He didn't answer, which was answer enough.
()()()()()()()()()()
Fortified with fresh coffee and cold pizza, the two young men moved to a sofa and settled down to get better acquainted with Mr. Chad Dickson. Dexter called on Computress to project the file before them, and to his obvious surprise, she said,
"There are a number of sub-files. All are heavily encrypted."
"Is that normal practice?" asked Dexter sharply, frowning.
"Highly unusual, especially for the Kids Next Door. There wasn't anything comparable in all the files I scanned."
"Get to work on breaking those encryptions and pull up all available information on Mr. Dickson."
"With the audio?" asked Computress, filling the air around them with projections from the file.
"Yes," ordered Dexter, ready to get to solve the mystery this young man presented.
"Breaking these encryptions will take some time, Dexter," advised the computer. "I estimate several hours at least. Shall I alert you when I'm through?"
"Yes, please," he said, and got to work on the pizza.
"Chad Dickson," said a metallic voice as video images and pictures of a scrappy-looking boy with a flop of blond hair played before them. "Kids Next Door operative Number 247. One of the organization's most admired and highly decorated operatives, former Supreme Leader. Best remembered for his refusal to be decommissioned on his thirteenth birthday and his attempt to have all members of Sector V decommissioned instead. After being branded a traitor, former Number 247 went rogue and became a member of the Teen Ninjas, sworn enemies of the Kids Next Door."
"Hold!" ordered Dexter, and the images froze. "Now do you see why I was so taken with his ability to write complete sentences?" asked Dexter. "This is normal communication for them."
"So that's what he meant by 'sorta' when I asked if he was in the KND."
"He was never decommissioned. That explains why a teenager would remember his old friends and his time spent in the KND. The members of Sector V are the only teens presently serving, yes?"
"That I've heard of, yeah, now that the moon base is lost. Nigel's, what, seventeen now?"
"Sixteen. He's a little older than I am."
"Just my luck. Blondie here is a traitorous slime. I'm glad you hacked their computer otherwise I might have set Nigel up with a jerk!"
"Don't forget the encrypted files. There's more to this situation than this propaganda film we're seeing. Besides, you're a good judge of character and even that brief encounter left you with a highly favorable impression."
"I've been wrong before."
"Perhaps, but the question is – are you wrong this time? Computress, continue."
Keeping in mind Dexter's point of view, Ben watched the video with a grain of salt, then watched it again. He had to admit that whoever had made this entry was pretty biased. Most of Chad's accomplishments – and they were as numerous as they were impressive – were brushed aside in light of his conduct at the end of his service, and his loyalty was questioned in hindsight at every stage. That his parents had turned out to be villains was cited often, though the fact that Chad had fought and defeated them at every turn was conveniently overlooked.
"A very shallow biography," criticized Dexter, gnawing on a pizza bone. "Heavy-handed in the accusations yet they give no reason or motivation for his conduct toward the end of his service."
"You're right," he agreed, handing over the bits of crust he had left to save Dexter the effort of stealing them. "Something's not adding up."
"Mmm. Perhaps you should take some time and get a second impression of Mr. Dickson."
"Yeah," he said, still gazing at the holograms of young Chad in action. "Think I'll do just that."
()()()()()()()()()()
Ben was the first to admit he didn't have a clue as to what he was doing. Winging it was the best he could come up with, so perhaps if he acted like he knew what he was doing, he might fool even himself and get something accomplished.
"Remember," Dexter had said, standing up on his toes to kiss Ben good-bye, "Nigel trusts you to make this choice for him, so trust yourself. If you're satisfied, then you don't owe anyone an explanation. Except me. And perhaps Nigel."
"You?"
"You have to live with me. Besides, I helped," he reminded, stealing another kiss.
When Dexter headed off to meet Mr. Green (he was schooled year round, so despite the fact that it was summer he still had classes), Ben once again spread the applications out before him and considered them carefully. He had five people on the list: Chad, Blossom, Edd, Juniper Lee, and Frankie.
Juniper Lee was the youngest, just a bit shy of fourteen. Ben hesitated to team Nigel up with someone so young, just as he wanted to avoid someone so much older as Frankie. Both girls were great, but there were times when even the nearly three-year gap between him and Dexter caused them problems, and Nigel fell almost exactly between these two ladies age-wise. Problems were the very things he was trying to avoid, and so he eliminated the oldest and youngest from the list.
Blossom, pretty, smart, and capable, was also very used to being in control and he strongly suspected that trait would overshadow her charms in a relationship. Would she be able to resist the impulse to interfere with a KND mission if Nigel was involved? Could she stay out of the action if things went awry? Most important of all, would she be able to leave the super hero at the door when she was with Nigel? He seriously doubted it, and he would hate to see anyone he liked so well become Lizzie all over again. Nice as the Powerpuff girls were and much as he liked them all, their super powers could be overbearing. There was also the whole Dexter's sister thing to consider. Anyone the girls dated would eventually find out about Ben and Dexter, and right now Nigel could safely exercise plausible deniability if that ever became an issue.
Edd. He was such a good guy. Bright, caring, and conscientious to a fault. He was also neurotic and highly organized, a sort of watered-down version of Dexter minus the accent. Of all the people that had made it thus far, he was the least physical but the deepest thinker. Ben had an image of Double D pushing himself to extremes to keep up with Nigel and convincing himself he was having fun at some crazy sport when in fact he was better suited to quiet contemplation. Not that Nigel couldn't laze around and contemplate things with the best of them, but Nigel was restless in the extreme and couldn't be still for long. That didn't go to say that Edd and Number One couldn't get along very well, but Ben had the nagging sense that Edd was much better for Nigel as a friend rather than a boyfriend.
And that left -
"Ben?"
He jumped and Blossom smiled.
"Sorry," she said, seeing she had startled him. She held up the carafe. "More coffee?"
"Sure," he said, sitting back and letting her refill his mug. Blossom poured some for herself and joined him at the table. She was still in her pajamas, though true to form she was the first of the triplets to rise.
"Are you still going through the applications?" she wondered.
"I've narrowed it down to the last few. You're one of them."
Another smile was her answer. "It can't be an easy choice."
"It's not, really. I didn't think it would be all this hard, but . . . making a decision for someone else is big stuff."
"Does Dexter know I applied?"
"Nope. Your dad does."
Cradling the coffee mug in both hands, she sat back. "Dexter's so protective of us. It's very cute and almost funny."
"He doesn't care that you're all ultra-super heroes. He just sees you as his younger sisters."
"I know. That's why we like it. That's why he likes you, too. You don't care that he's smarter and richer than everyone. You like him."
"And that's what makes this so hard. Finding the person that's as good for Nigel as for Number One as for the Supreme Leader of the KND."
He was glad she didn't seem upset, but sat back and contemplated this statement, gnawing on her lip as she applied it to herself. "You need somebody that knows all three people. I like Nigel, but I know him best as Number One, as the leader of Sector V, and I think . . . I think that's the person I'd expect on a date."
"Right. And Double D knows Nigel waaaay better than Number One."
"Edd made the list?" she asked, delighted. "Who else?"
"Well, I took out Juniper Lee and Frankie. Too young, too old."
She nodded her agreement.
"And that leaves this other guy, Chad Dickson."
"Who's he? I've never heard the name."
He slid Chad's application free of the pile and slid it over to her. "Your brother and I are trying to find out. He's . . . a bit of a mystery."
By the arch of her eyebrow and curious expression as she read it was very evident that Blossom was the daughter of Patrick Utonium. It was also evident that she was impressed.
"Wow," she finally said. "I thought my answers were good. He's got me beat. If you don't pick him, can I get his phone number?"
She was only half joking.
"Dex and I are trying to find out more about him. He was in the KND, but refused to be decommissioned when he was thirteen and joined the Teen Ninjas. He knew Nigel back in the day, but I don't know if Nigel would be happy to see him or want to strangle him before coming after me. As far as the Kids Next Door are concerned, he's public enemy number 274."
"They also use gumballs as weapons and eat paste," Blossom replied with superior derision that she could only have learned from her brother, who had no use for 2x4 Technology. She looked up at Ben with knowing pink eyes. "They may think he's all that's bad, but I'm not reading that. The way I read this, Chad genuinely cares for Nigel."
"You sure it's the teenage girl talking and not the Bexter fangirl?"
She giggled. "Maybe a little." For a moment she regarded him. Once upon a time she'd had a tremendous crush on Ben. He was glad that she was past that and that they could be friends and he could tease her a bit. Growing serious, Blossom said, "I think Chad gets Nigel. And Number One. And the Supreme Leader. Much as I hate to say it, I think Chad's your best choice. But you knew that already."
She was right and she knew it and he didn't know what to say. Standing, the leader of the Powerpuff Girls sipped her coffee and let out a sigh. "Maybe I'll ask Double D out. Yeah, I think I will. I can take him flying. He's a musician, isn't he?"
"You can't ask him out yet! Wait until I'm done," he begged. "Please!"
"Nope," Blossom said, heading for the kitchen. "I think I'll call him right now."
"But I might need him! Or you! Blossom! You can't!"
"Yes, I can."
"But . . ."
She couldn't keep a straight face any longer. Blossom pointed, the perfect picture of a sassy little sister. "Gotcha!"